Meet Part of The Team
Cornerstone employs some of the most caring and exceptional people one can hope to meet.
Our successes are measured in the lives we have changed over the years. Our staff is dedicated to our patients and providing them with the absolute best care.
Executive Staff
Steve McGrew
Chief Executive Officer - President
Steve McGrew has 35 years of business experience in public accounting, banking, government agencies, investor relations, economic development, and behavioral health. Steve began his career with Cornerstone in 2006 and accepted his role as Chief Executive Officer in 2015. Prior to becoming CEO, Steve was the CFO of the organization. As CFO Steve was responsible for all administrative, support, and accounting and financial functions. Since joining Cornerstone’s leadership team, Cornerstone has more than doubled in size. Steve’s strengths are in leadership, problem-solving, strategic planning and organizational efficiency.
Steve was born in Nashville and attended the University of Tennessee Knoxville where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree majoring in Accounting and attended the University of Tennessee Chattanooga where he obtained his MBA in Entrepreneurship and Marketing. Steve passed the CPA exam on his first attempt and has held a CPA license for 35 years in Tennessee. Steve also passed the Institute of Management Accountants’ Certified Management Accountant exam which is a professional credential in advanced management accounting and financial fields.
Dr. Scott Anderson
Chief Clinical Officer / Clinical Director
Dr. Scott Anderson is a Licensed Psychologist who has over 30 years of experience working in the field of addictions. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology, followed by his Master’s degree in Community Counseling from Georgia State University, and a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Tennessee in 1988. He began working extensively with chemical dependency in 1985, and he is currently the Chief Clinical Officer/Clinical Director at Cornerstone of Recovery in Louisville, TN.
Dr. Anderson began his journey with Cornerstone as a group therapist in their Intensive Outpatient program in 1992, during Cornerstone’s formative years. His role has expanded significantly through the years in line with Cornerstone’s growth and the increasing complexity of addiction treatment. Dr. Anderson is responsible for maintaining Cornerstone’s core programming while attempting to meet the unique needs of each individual patient. His mission is to provide a treatment experience which truly addresses the “whole” person by attending to the myriad of needs which evolve from the human experience and which sometimes lead down the path of addiction. This means staying true to the core beliefs on which Cornerstone was founded while integrating the best that behavioral science has to offer.
During his career, Dr. Anderson has worked as a clinician and/or consultant in a variety of settings, including university counseling centers, chemical dependency treatment centers, private practice, and other community mental health agencies. He attempts to draw on all of these experiences along with emerging research and science relevant to the treatment of substance use disorders when considering new programs and treatment modalities. He has been married for over 35 years and has two daughters and seven grandchildren. In addition to spending time with family and friends, he enjoys a variety of sports/fitness activities, and hobbies such as photography and boating.
John Hood
Executive Vice President
With over 25 years of service at Cornerstone, John Hood now serves as Executive Vice President where he works to keep the vision and mission of Cornerstone on course and in line with the needs of those
seeking help and recovery.
John has known addiction his entire life. A child of an alcoholic father, John was 15 when his dad got sober. However, by this time, John was well into his own perilous journey with alcohol and drug
addiction. In the midst of John’s active addiction, his father and mother, Bill and Jean Hood, put everything on the line – their home, their retirement funds, everything they owned – to open Cornerstone of Recovery in 1989 with the dream of helping those struggling with addiction find new life in recovery.
It wasn’t until 1993, however, that John hit bottom and reached for recovery. For the first time in their lives, a sober father and a now sober son began to forge a new relationship. Tragically, four months into
John’s sobriety, his father died of an aneurysm. Since that time, John has worked his way through the ranks of Cornerstone of Recovery: from volunteer van driver to third-shift chart auditor, to counselor, to
admissions, to halfway house director, to marketing and on into his current role.
As Executive Vice President, John works to foster productive relationships and partnerships within the treatment center as well as within the community. He oversees strategic and organizational planning
and serves as communication liaison between board members and shareholders, staff and the executive team. He also serves on the board of directors. He holds a B.S. degree in human resources from the
University of Tennessee.
Amanda Mathes
Director of Finance and
Operations Administration
Amanda joined Cornerstone in August of 2018. Prior to joining our team, Amanda had obtained over 10 years of experience in public accounting and consulting services, specifically in the healthcare industry. She has extensive experience as a healthcare auditor and consultant, serving organizations such as multi-entity health systems, independently-owned hospitals, physician practices, behavioral and mental health facilities, and pharmaceutical and healthcare supply distribution companies. She has provided a wide-range of services to these organizations, including audit and assurance services, fair market value consulting, independent review organization services, fraud investigations and compliance reviews. As Director of Finance and Operations Administration, Amanda is responsible for overseeing all financial aspects of Cornerstone, as well as managing third party service contracts.
Amanda was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina and attended the University of Tennessee-Knoxville where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree. Amanda holds a Master of Accountancy degree from East Tennessee State University and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of Tennessee. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Tennessee Society of CPAs. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys cheering on her beloved Vols, live music, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Webster Bailey
Executive Director of
Business Development and Marketing
Webster Bailey currently serves as the Executive Director of Business Development and Outreach at Cornerstone of Recovery. Webster joined Cornerstone in 2007 as a weekend counselor in the Adult Residential Program. After 3 years and multiple positions on the ARP unit, Webster was given the opportunity to work in the Marketing Department where he was able to utilize his degree in Communications and Public Relations. In 2014, Webster was given the opportunity to start the New Business Development department which is dedicated to exploring new business opportunities for Cornerstone. In 2015, Webster was asked to serve in his current role where he directs all of the marketing, business development, and outreach efforts of Cornerstone. Webster also serves on Cornerstone’s Continuous Quality Improvement Committee, Special Events Committee, and on the Executive Committee for the company.
In addition to his work at Cornerstone, Webster is involved in many substance abuse prevention and recovery related initiatives throughout East Tennessee. He currently serves as Board President for both the Metro Drug Coalition and the Blount County Recovery Court Foundation. In 2013, Webster received the Community Service Award from the Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association. In 2014, Webster won the Recovery Services Award from the Metropolitan Drug Commission. In 2015, Webster received the Prevention Champion Award from the Blount County Community Health Initiative. In 2016, Webster was named Professional of the Year by the East Tennessee Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors.
During his free time, Webster enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons on their family farm where they raise horses, chickens, and lots of crops. They recently built their own home on the farm and are continuing to build-out their homestead.
Travis Pyle
Director of Medical Services
Travis currently serves as the Director of Medical Services at Cornerstone of Recovery. Travis is a Family Nurse Practitioner with 20 years of experience in the healthcare setting. He has a strong medical/surgical background and has worked in many areas of nursing developing leadership skills. He has strong beliefs and is insistent that patient care and safety must be the first priority for all patients at Cornerstone of Recovery.
Travis earned his Associates of Science in Nursing from Lincoln Memorial University in 1998 and completed his Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Middle Tennessee State University in 2004. Travis completed his Masters of Science in Nursing with a Family Nurse Practitioner focus from Middle Tennessee State University in 2016.
Travis, an alumni of Cornerstone of Recovery from 2000, began working with Cornerstone of Recovery in 2011 in the role of Director of Nursing. He functions in many aspects of the company from nursing, medical, safety and compliance with State and Federal accreditation agencies. Travis now oversees the overall function of the medical/nursing departments in his role as Director of Medical Services.
Jamie Free
Controller
Jamie joined Cornerstone in February 2013. As Controller, she oversees the accounting department staff in billing, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accounting and reporting. In this role, she is responsible for Cornerstone’s financial and management reporting, budgeting, managing audits, and monitoring internal controls. Prior to joining Cornerstone, Jamie has held several accounting positions, including Controller and Staff Accountant in both public and private accounting. Jamie holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Accounting from the University of Phoenix.
Jennifer Dacus
Director of Human Resources
Jennifer has served as the Director of Human Resources since 2004. She works closely with the CEO and other leaders within the company to ensure compliance with employment laws and ethical practices. While working at Cornerstone Jennifer has designed and implemented several processes that have benefited each employee and the company as a whole. Staying current with all the new healthcare trends and laws has been a major focus for Jennifer as we expand and grow the company.
Jennifer is a graduate of East Tennessee State University and has a BS in Public Health with a concentration in Health Care Administration. Jennifer’s professional membership is with the Society for Human Resources Management.
Outside of Cornerstone, Jennifer’s time is dedicated to her husband and young children. They reside in Sweetwater, Tennessee and enjoy spending much of their time at the ball field with their four young boys.
Dr. Lane Cook
Chief of Psychiatric Services
Dr. Lane Cook is a board certified psychiatrist practicing in Knoxville, TN and Louisville, TN. He is the Chief of Psychiatric Services at Cornerstone of Recovery, Inc. where he has worked for the past 10 years. Dr. Cook has been in private practice in Knoxville at Sutherland Associates for over 30 year and has been an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine, where he completed his residency in psychiatry. He is three-times past president of the Smoky Mountain Chapter of the Tennessee Psychiatric Association. His interest in treatment-resistant depression led to gaining expertise in Trans cranial Magnetic Stimulation and has the first TMS treatment center in Knoxville.
He is currently in his third year of operations and enjoys an outstanding remission rate with TMS. Dr. Cook has spoken to medical staff around the southeast and has been the most frequent local speaker at the annual Fall Psychiatric Symposium in Knoxville. His most recent presentations were on Medication Assisted Therapy for Addictions and trans cranial Magnetic Stimulation. His work at Cornerstone led to the publication of the cover article of Current Psychiatry, December 2014 entitled, “After substance withdrawal, underlying psychiatric symptoms emerge.”
Dr. Fred "Kip" Wenger ABAM, FACOEP, FACEP
Chief of Medical Services
&
Medical Director
Dr. Wenger has been a practicing emergency physician for over twenty-five years with a strong and sincere interest in addiction medicine. He is certified by the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the American Board of Addiction Medicine and is a Fellow in the American College of Emergency Medicine Physicians. He is also an educator, researcher, and a national speaker.
Prior to joining Cornerstone of Recovery Dr. Wenger was the medical director of the Department Emergency Medicine at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Dr. Wenger is an active board member of the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Medicine and a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians. He earned his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency in emergency medicine at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia.
Business Development & Outreach Staff
Nichole Pfohl
Director of Business Development
When Nichole came to Cornerstone in early 2020, she brought with her more than 15 years of experience in business development, sales and marketing. Her experience in the drug and alcohol treatment field includes roles as director of business development for Acadia Healthcare and CRC Healthcare, and most recently she worked for the pharmaceutical company that manufactures Vivitrol, the non-narcotic drug naltrexone that’s a critical part of Medication Assisted Treatment protocols throughout the treatment field. She graduated from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and has first-hand knowledge of the toll addiction takes on families, having witnessed the struggles of several family members attempt to get clean and navigate the often complex web of addiction treatment. “My goal is to work with our community to reduce the stigma, educate people about the disease and make them aware of treatment options,” she says. She’s an avid lover of the outdoors, enjoys traveling and spends her time away from work in the company of her husband, Rob; daughter, Ella; and dog, Ziggy.
Dr. Janet Hicks
Director of Professionals Program
Dr. Janet Hicks is a pharmacist, currently serving as the Director of the Professionals Program at Cornerstone of Recovery in Louisville, Tennessee. She completed her pre-pharmacy coursework at East Tennessee State University and went on to earn her Pharmacy degree from the School of Pharmacy at the University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences in Memphis, Tennessee. Upon graduation, Dr. Hicks returned to Northeast Tennessee and worked in the hospital pharmacy setting for thirteen years. She then moved to retail pharmacy and currently works part-time at Vonore Drug and Family Wellness Center in Vonore, Tennessee.
Dr. Hicks has been working with Cornerstone of Recovery for the past ten years. In her role as the Director of the Professionals Program, Dr. Hicks oversees a program that is specifically designed to help health care professionals recover from the disease of substance dependence and return to their respective careers. “As a recovering pharmacist, I am blessed to work in an atmosphere of healing and compassion. I am able to witness individuals and families recover from the devastating effects of chemical dependency.” Dr. Hicks works closely with many professional organizations, including the Tennessee Pharmacists Recovery Network. Dr. Hicks serves as a preceptor for South College of Pharmacy and was selected as Preceptor of the Year in 2014.
Dr. Hicks currently lives in Maryville. Tennessee. She most enjoys spending time with her daughter, Katie, who is a professor of public health at East Tennessee State University. They enjoy spending time involved in outdoor activities, especially hiking.
Roger Davis
Director of Railroad EAP Services
Roger served in the US Air force and then moved on to his second career with the railroad. Roger worked as a Brakeman and Conductor for 21 years before moving into the role of EAP for Norfolk Southern Railway. Roger became a Certified EAP and during his 10 years of service as a CEAP and a SAP, Roger helped countless railroad employees find recovery. Roger felt a calling to develop a program specifically for railroad men and women. Following his passion, Roger joined Cornerstone of Recovery and currently serves as the Director of Railroad EAP Services.
Jill Burbidge
Railroad Program Coordinator
As a self-described “super mom” in the Salt Lake City suburbs, Jill was a picture of suburban perfection: She was the classroom volunteer who made sure her children were well-scrubbed and her house was spit-shined. As the mother of five boys, it wasn’t an easy task, and when her sister lost a child at the same time she gave birth to her fourth child, it sent her into a tailspin of addiction, eventually leading to an arrest for obtaining a prescription under false pretenses. Even when she reluctantly agreed to treatment, she didn't believe she had a problem ... until she had a spiritual awakening during her second week of rehab. That was in June 2000, and after completing treatment, her record was expunged, and she began facilitating the same Aftercare meetings she once attended as a patient.
There, she began working with patients from Union Pacific and found her calling: “I would go to work every day, and I couldn’t believe I was getting paid to do something I loved every single day, and I still feel that," she said. Downsizing and company mergers eventually led to the elimination of her position, but serendipity led her to Cornerstone. Through work in the industry, she had grown familiar with Cornerstone of Recovery’s Railroad Program, and after careful consideration, she realized that she could make a more effective difference as part of the Cornerstone family. “I just really felt like this is where I needed to be,” she says. “I’ve always just really been impressed with the programming at Cornerstone; I feel like it’s very unique in the industry, and of all of the treatment centers I’ve gone to see over the years, there isn’t another one like this.”
Nan LaVecchia
Aviation Program Director
Ann “Nan” LaVecchia (SAP, LADAC II, NCAC I). Nan LaVecchia has been part of the Cornerstone family for nearly a decade and has worked diligently to treat every patient seeking help and recovery with dignity and compassion. Nan worked her way up through the ranks of the Cornerstone therapeutic team, serving a variety of different programs while putting in the hours necessary to earn a number of credentials and licensures. Today, she’s a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor (LADAC), a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP), and a Nationally Certified Addiction Counselor (NCAC). Nan currently serves as the Aviation Program Director. She oversees clinical directives and patient care while keeping referral sources up to date on the progress of patients, ensuring all paperwork is filed properly, scheduling and participating in discharge calls, coordinating referral source visits, and addressing Aviation Program patient needs as they arise. Cornerstone has been one of the few drug and alcohol treatment centers in the nation that offers a program specifically for pilots, flight attendants air traffic controllers, mechanics and ground security coordinators, because the safety-sensitive nature of those jobs requires so much more than just rehabilitation. A graduate of the College of Charleston, a mother and grandmother, a former business owner in the private sector, and a person in recovery herself, Nan strives to provide a treatment experience which truly addresses the “whole” person by attending to the scope of emotional, physical, and spiritual needs often devastated by addiction. After beginning her own personal journey of recovery and being an alumnus of Cornerstone, Nan has remained passionate about helping the individuals and families suffering from the disease of addiction to find recovery and witnessing the transformation in others.
Jess Gupton
North Carolina Regional Outreach Manager
As Cornerstone of Recovery’s North Carolina Regional Outreach Manager, Jess Gupton often finds herself sharing her personal story of experience, strength and hope.
Her job takes her from her home in Asheville, which she shares with her partner, Vanessa; to Charlotte and beyond. She works closely with North Carolina businesses and companies to introduce Cornerstone’s proven track record of successful addiction treatment into new markets and industries. Her position involves a great deal of networking and establishment of new business contacts, but the most rewarding part of it, she says, is the time she spends with patients.
As Cornerstone’s primary point of contact in North Carolina, she’s often the face of Cornerstone to those who come to our 23-acre campus near Knoxville, Tenn., for residential addiction treatment. She’s a testament to the almost 30-year track record Cornerstone has of successfully delivering addicts and alcoholics from the depths of despair into the light of recovery, a path she knows all too well. By the time she found it herself in 2012, she was at the end of the road.
“My sister told me that she was done with me — that I wouldn’t be able to see her children, that she wouldn’t come see me in prison, that she wouldn’t even come to my funeral because I had hurt her so badly,” Gupton says. “I had just gotten my fourth DUI charge; I had been arrested 14 times total; and at one point, I was living under a bridge, homeless, for about seven months. My life consisted of waking up, having to take a shot of vodka to get rid of the shakes, throwing that shot up, then taking two more just to be able to drive to the liquor store to get more, crying the whole way. I was tired, and I knew I was going to die.”
In December 2012, she received medical detox at a facility in Knoxville, then traveled to Lewisburg, Tenn., where she went through treatment. While many of her peers were unhappy with their situations, Gupton was joyful.
“I knew I was going to live,” she says. “I was just happy to be there, to be alive.”
She stayed in Lewisburg for 14 months, residing in a support living facility and working a fast food job. Although she was getting by on $20 a week, she was still grateful, and she built a recovery network through meetings, service work and the Steps. Back in East Tennessee, she approached Cornerstone with a desire to get involved in drug and alcohol treatment as a career; when she was informed she needed two years of clean time to work with patients, she applied for any position just to get a foot in the door, and went to work in housekeeping.
In 2014, she began work as a counselor in the Young Adult and Recovery Renewal programs at Cornerstone. She’s continued to work in the treatment field ever since, as a crisis coordinator for another program before moving to Western North Carolina, and in 2017, she returned to Cornerstone under the Marketing Department banner. As Cornerstone’s liaison with the Tarheel State, she wakes up every day grateful to deliver the message of hope and the promise of freedom that she herself once received.